The European Union faces a generation-defining challenge: how to ensure that massive investments in digitalisation do not come at the expense of the environment, but instead become a key driver of sustainable development. A message initiatives Community for Educational Innovation (CEI), published by the European Commission in 2026, stresses that the key to success is the so-called twin transition in education. It is an integrated process combining green and digital innovation. Europe's competitiveness, economic recovery and resilience depend on whether we can prepare students and professionals capable of working across disciplines and designing sustainable solutions.

Frames of Reference: From Theory to Skills for Life

The European Union has developed a comprehensive architecture of competence frameworks to modernise education systems. The transition to Industry 5.0 puts a human-centred approach, sustainability and resilience at the forefront. While reference frameworks DigComp 3.0 a DigCompEdu set out digital competences for citizens and educators, including the ethical use of artificial intelligence, a framework GreenComp defines 12 key sustainability competencies in four areas – from developing values through systems thinking to direct action for climate protection.

However, the main challenge remains translating them into everyday teaching and assessment. Green and digital skills are often only offered as optional subjects in schools, rather than forming a solid core of the curriculum.

Key barriers in practice: What did the surveys show?

Surveying evidence among experts and members of the CEI community revealed four key levels of deficiencies:

• Learner: Green and digital skills often remain an optional extra without systematic assessment.
• Educators: Teacher professional development tends to be fragmented. In the CEI survey, up to 68 % respondents identified teacher skill development as a top priority for the implementation of the double transformation. When integrating AI, it considers 62 % respondents for the most urgent area of pedagogical capacity.
• Institutions: School strategies lack clearly defined responsibilities and finances. Until 68 % respondents identified strategic marginalization of sustainability as a major barrier achieving goals.
• Systems: Green and digital policies often operate in separate structures and with inconsistent funding.

Inspiring examples from European schools and universities

A number of successful initiatives are emerging across Europe to overcome these obstacles:

• Estonian ProgeTiiger program: Connects a national strategy to computer science teaching, digital textbooks, robotics equipment, and school-wide mentoring.
• Finnish vocational education reform (VASKI): Introduced flexible modules and a national carbon footprint calculator for vocational schools with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality for the sector by 2035.
• Digital twin at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM): Creating a 3D virtual replica of the campus connects building management with teaching students who analyze real-world data on energy consumption and decarbonization.
• Software Development Laboratory at IPB in Portugal: Computer science students develop software solutions for regional micro-enterprises, evaluating not only functionality but also their energy efficiency.
• International DigiSET project: Combines the DigCompEdu, GreenComp frameworks and AI standards into one certifiable training program for teachers across Europe.

Recommendations for the future

The CEI report highlights the need to move towards whole-institution approach. It recommends regularly revising curricula, linking skills to real-world challenges through Living Labs, create dedicated time capacities for teacher education and build strong regional partnerships with employers and local governments. Only in this way will educational institutions become active co-creators of a sustainable and digital future. JRi&CO2AI